TCO reported weak 4Q09 results with sagging core revenues and operating results. The rental income (minimum rents and percentage rents) declined 5.8% (y-o-y) to $92.5 mn from $98.2 mn in 4Q08. However, the decline in non-cash expenses like depreciation helped reduce the impact on bottom line from an accounting perspective with net income (excluding impairment charges and a litigation charge) declining lower 1.8% (y-o-y). Adjusted FFO which excludes the impact of non-cash items like deprecation declined 5.1% (y-o-y) to $76.6 mn from $80.8 mn in 4Q08.

Minimum rents declined 5.0% (y-o-y) to $87.1 mn from $91.6 mn in 4Q08. Average occupancy dipped to 89.5% from 90.5% in 4Q08 and average base rent declined 3.2% (y-o-y) to $42.56 PSF (per sq ft) from $43.96 PSF in 4Q08. While the tenant sales per square feet were reported to improve 3.8% (y-o-y), the percentage rents declined 17.1% (y-o-y) to $5.5 mn from $6.6 mn in 4Q08 largely owing to reduced occupancy and reduced percentage rents as % of mall tenant sales. Other revenues which include shopping centre related revenues and lease cancellation revenues dropped nearly 50% (y-o-y) to $8.4 mn from $16.8 mn in 4Q08 largely owing to negligible lease cancellation revenues of 0.5 mn against $7.5 mn in 4Q08. The decline in core revenues were offset by increase in management fees from Macao Studio City development fees as well as higher expense recoveries. Total revenues were down 1.9% (y-o-y) to $186.3 mn from $189.9 mn in 4Q08.

General Growth Shareholders Would Receive Value Exceeding $9.00 Per Share, Including $6.00 Per Share In Cash Plus Assets Valued At More Than $3.00 Per Share, While Avoiding Likely Dilution From Stand-Alone Recapitalization

Offer Supported By General Growth's Official Unsecured Creditor Committee

Acquisition of General Growth Portfolio By Best In Class Operator Offers Significant Value-Creation Opportunity For Simon Shareholders

Developers’ delays and funding woes spur the state to serve notice on Columbus Center, the $800m complex planned to span the Pike

(Boston Globe) Massachusetts transportation officials have begun severing ties with the developers of Columbus Center, the latest, and perhaps last, chapter in one of the most ambitious and controversial projects in Boston’s development history.

The state Department of Transportation yesterday told the project’s developers they are in default of their 99-year lease, after stalling on plans to build an $800 million complex above the Massachusetts Turnpike that would have united the Back Bay and South End neighborhoods.

The developers face termination of the lease not only because they have failed to complete construction, but because they have not properly maintained the property, said a top agency official. He asked that his name not be used because the default notice is not yet public.

Because of funding problems, the developers - the WinnCompanies and the California state pension fund, known as Calpers - stopped construction in April 2008 on the six-building complex of condominiums, hotel, stores, and parks on a massive deck over the highway. Since then, they have neither cleaned up nor secured the building site to the level the state has demanded, according to the transportation official with knowl edge of the situation.

Developers’ delays and funding woes spur the state to serve notice on Columbus Center, the $800m complex planned to span the Pike

(Boston Globe) Massachusetts transportation officials have begun severing ties with the developers of Columbus Center, the latest, and perhaps last, chapter in one of the most ambitious and controversial projects in Boston’s development history.

The state Department of Transportation yesterday told the project’s developers they are in default of their 99-year lease, after stalling on plans to build an $800 million complex above the Massachusetts Turnpike that would have united the Back Bay and South End neighborhoods.

The developers face termination of the lease not only because they have failed to complete construction, but because they have not properly maintained the property, said a top agency official. He asked that his name not be used because the default notice is not yet public.

Because of funding problems, the developers - the WinnCompanies and the California state pension fund, known as Calpers - stopped construction in April 2008 on the six-building complex of condominiums, hotel, stores, and parks on a massive deck over the highway. Since then, they have neither cleaned up nor secured the building site to the level the state has demanded, according to the transportation official with knowl edge of the situation.

TCO reported weak 4Q09 results with sagging core revenues and operating results. The rental income (minimum rents and percentage rents) declined 5.8% (y-o-y) to $92.5 mn from $98.2 mn in 4Q08. However, the decline in non-cash expenses like depreciation helped reduce the impact on bottom line from an accounting perspective with net income (excluding impairment charges and a litigation charge) declining lower 1.8% (y-o-y). Adjusted FFO which excludes the impact of non-cash items like deprecation declined 5.1% (y-o-y) to $76.6 mn from $80.8 mn in 4Q08.

Minimum rents declined 5.0% (y-o-y) to $87.1 mn from $91.6 mn in 4Q08. Average occupancy dipped to 89.5% from 90.5% in 4Q08 and average base rent declined 3.2% (y-o-y) to $42.56 PSF (per sq ft) from $43.96 PSF in 4Q08. While the tenant sales per square feet were reported to improve 3.8% (y-o-y), the percentage rents declined 17.1% (y-o-y) to $5.5 mn from $6.6 mn in 4Q08 largely owing to reduced occupancy and reduced percentage rents as % of mall tenant sales. Other revenues which include shopping centre related revenues and lease cancellation revenues dropped nearly 50% (y-o-y) to $8.4 mn from $16.8 mn in 4Q08 largely owing to negligible lease cancellation revenues of 0.5 mn against $7.5 mn in 4Q08. The decline in core revenues were offset by increase in management fees from Macao Studio City development fees as well as higher expense recoveries. Total revenues were down 1.9% (y-o-y) to $186.3 mn from $189.9 mn in 4Q08.

Developers’ delays and funding woes spur the state to serve notice on Columbus Center, the $800m complex planned to span the Pike

(Boston Globe) Massachusetts transportation officials have begun severing ties with the developers of Columbus Center, the latest, and perhaps last, chapter in one of the most ambitious and controversial projects in Boston’s development history.

The state Department of Transportation yesterday told the project’s developers they are in default of their 99-year lease, after stalling on plans to build an $800 million complex above the Massachusetts Turnpike that would have united the Back Bay and South End neighborhoods.

The developers face termination of the lease not only because they have failed to complete construction, but because they have not properly maintained the property, said a top agency official. He asked that his name not be used because the default notice is not yet public.

Because of funding problems, the developers - the WinnCompanies and the California state pension fund, known as Calpers - stopped construction in April 2008 on the six-building complex of condominiums, hotel, stores, and parks on a massive deck over the highway. Since then, they have neither cleaned up nor secured the building site to the level the state has demanded, according to the transportation official with knowl edge of the situation.

TCO reported weak 4Q09 results with sagging core revenues and operating results. The rental income (minimum rents and percentage rents) declined 5.8% (y-o-y) to $92.5 mn from $98.2 mn in 4Q08. However, the decline in non-cash expenses like depreciation helped reduce the impact on bottom line from an accounting perspective with net income (excluding impairment charges and a litigation charge) declining lower 1.8% (y-o-y). Adjusted FFO which excludes the impact of non-cash items like deprecation declined 5.1% (y-o-y) to $76.6 mn from $80.8 mn in 4Q08.

Minimum rents declined 5.0% (y-o-y) to $87.1 mn from $91.6 mn in 4Q08. Average occupancy dipped to 89.5% from 90.5% in 4Q08 and average base rent declined 3.2% (y-o-y) to $42.56 PSF (per sq ft) from $43.96 PSF in 4Q08. While the tenant sales per square feet were reported to improve 3.8% (y-o-y), the percentage rents declined 17.1% (y-o-y) to $5.5 mn from $6.6 mn in 4Q08 largely owing to reduced occupancy and reduced percentage rents as % of mall tenant sales. Other revenues which include shopping centre related revenues and lease cancellation revenues dropped nearly 50% (y-o-y) to $8.4 mn from $16.8 mn in 4Q08 largely owing to negligible lease cancellation revenues of 0.5 mn against $7.5 mn in 4Q08. The decline in core revenues were offset by increase in management fees from Macao Studio City development fees as well as higher expense recoveries. Total revenues were down 1.9% (y-o-y) to $186.3 mn from $189.9 mn in 4Q08.

Volcker is correct in that banks conflicts of interests need to be stemmed. One would not have to worry about over regulation if one does not attempt to regulate every single act or attempt to guess what might go wrong. What needs to be done is to use regulation to disincentivize banks from engaging in activities that engender systemic risks and/or harm clients. By putting everybody on the same side of the table, you don't have to worry about outsmarting the private sector.

I want it to be known that we are still formulating the empirical thesis behind the short, but I have decided to keep all subscribers abreast of the deliberations in real time, as well as offering the tools that I would use to take action if I deemed it prudent.